Drifting Together (Sequel to Nightmare)
by DJ Dubois
Summary: Cisco chooses to go out by himself and see what new options are out there. Meantime Lisa's feeling lonely with Captain Cold not being around. Who can say what'll happen when they run into each other again? Please r & r!
1. Cisco's Issues

Drifting Together (Sequel to "Nightmare")

DJ Dubois

February 2016

Rating: T (Teen)

Pairings: Cisco/Lisa Snart with a touch of Barry/Patty and Jay/Caitlin thrown into the mix at some point.

Notes Part 1: This story takes place right after "Nightmare." It's the middle story in a three part arc.

Notes Part 2: The Flash belongs to DC and the CW.

Chapter 1 [Three Days Following "Nightmare"]

Following Zoom's incarceration and subsequent return to Earth-2, life returned to normal around Central City. With the abnormally high temperatures, people headed outdoors to enjoy the flowers, share a picnic or get the errands at hand done. A pleasant buzz settled over the city.

It seemed to be great.

[STAR Labs]

With no noticeable threats on the horizon, Team Flash tweaked their equipment and diagnostics. Jay and Caitlin upgraded the speed cannon. Barry debated scientific theories with his friends and offered advice. Eddie chipped in with what he'd seen from the Other Side. Cisco puttered and tinkered with his inventions coming up with a new thermal regulator as Snart insurance.

Still, despite the successes and triumphs—both collective and romantic—going on around himself, Cisco brooded. Oh sure, he was psyched that his friends were happy. He craved the challenge of creating the answer to the latest metahuman to come down the pike.

Zoom unmasked, caged and then kicked out of their realm? After Cisco depowered his ass? Can you say _boo yeah_?

He sighed heavily and set the latest gadget down on his station. He sipped broodingly from a black coffee mug and set it down on the counter as well. _I know I'm awesome. Then what's wrong with me? The others have people that care about them. Why can't I hold onto one of the awesome gals that come into my life?_

That high school girl…the name escaped him at the moment…She actually _had liked_ him. Or maybe would've if Dante hadn't lied to her about his becoming a priest….

Kendra Saunders…hot barista and newcomer to Central City…There was a spark there. They were good together despite his early brain farts where she was concerned. They had dinners and watched the stars together. He tried to protect her from Vandal Savage and be the great boyfriend….

…that is until Carter Hall…no _Prince Kufu_ …showed up, brought out the inner warrior priestess in her. That was the end of that.

Lisa Snart….little sister to Captain Cold and a criminal in her own right…To say they didn't start out on the right foot was a grotesque understatement. She'd seduced him while Cold kidnapped Dante. She'd betrayed Barry at the airfield. That should've been a showstopper right there.

And _yet_ …

She'd revealed _why_ she was that way and how her father had treated her. She did care about her brother and had shown regret over what had happened earlier... _okay some regret_ ….She did trust him…her first in that regard as she put it….

Maybe if she'd stayed, he could've turned her. Maybe…if Cold didn't kill him first….

 _Wish one of them could've stayed….Sweet guy, yeah that's me._

A soft hand on his shoulder stirred him from his reverie.

He nearly jumped turning around to find Caitlin standing there. "Oh! Hey! What's up?"

She quirked an eyebrow and inspected him with concern. "Cisco, you okay?"

"Yeah…sure. Sorry I was thinking of stuff. Everything okay with you?" he replied admittedly disoriented. He tugged the happy mask back on tightly forcing the usual upbeat grin.

"Jay and I are going to Jitters. We're going to meet Barry, Patty, Eddie and Iris. Come on. You need a break," she urged. _What's going on with him? Why's he so depressed? Everything's finally going all right…well with the exception of Dr. Wells' disappearance._

He sighed not really wanting to be around the pairs' table and feeling like the odd man out. "Yeah well…I'm really close to finishing this sonic jammer. It should be really cool!"

"Cisco, there's more to life than inventing and hanging out here." She rolled her eyes at her own words. "It took Ronnie and Jay to teach me that. You've got plenty of time to work on that."

"Caitlin, thanks for the invite. I really appreciate it. Really," he replied earnestly. "I just…you know…feel kind of tired. You all go and have fun."

"You sure?" Jay queried as he joined them. "You're not a fifth wheel, Cisco. Just understand that. All right?"

Although Jay's words sounded great and he wanted to believe them, Cisco just wanted his space. "Thanks for the reminder. Yeah I'm sure. Kind of need some time."

Caitlin shrugged. "Okay. Well if you want to come by, we'll keep a seat open. Hope you're feeling better." She took Jay's hand. "Good coffee and company, right?"

"Absolutely. Take care, Cisco," Jay wished his friend before leading his companion out of the chamber and toward her waiting car outside.

For a half hour after his friends left, Cisco toiled away on the tech. He attempted to keep his mind fixed on the task at hand while trying to ignore his inner frustration. He drained the rest of his coffee mug, refilled it and repeated the drill two more times.

 _Am I good enough?_ Without anyone around to maintain the cover for, he sulked openly for a couple of minutes. Then he rolled his eyes at himself. "You're better than this, Dude!" He grabbed his coat and put the systems on standby. Then he headed for the door.

He needed some air. Maybe he'd end up at Jitters. Maybe not. But he was going to do something else besides sulk over his equipment. At least his night wasn't going to be a complete disaster.

And you could take that to the bank….


	2. Lisa's Debates

Chapter 2

[Outskirts of Central City—Interstate 32]

Even as Cisco headed for his car and the night's adventures so to speak, a slender feminine rider wove her way through the freeway traffic. Through her helmet's tinted visor, she surveyed the entire scene in front of herself. Occasionally she'd tire of tailgating some snail in the passing lane and skirt around them.

Lisa Snart morosely pushed her bike ahead down the blacktop. Since Leonard had killed their father, she had considered it a chance at a new start. She'd thought that she could try some jobs both on her own and in concert with the big brother and Mick Rory.

That was before Leonard and Mick decided to take off with some guy claiming to be a time traveler. _That_ was some fight between the two siblings to say the least.

Then she discovered her heart wasn't into the heists she had tried to pull on her own. For some reason, she'd felt the pangs of something unfamiliar during those times. She actually felt her conscience nagging at her. She'd roll her eyes and keep going on that front….

…at least until she could almost feel someone's disapproval….

 _Cisco! Damn it! Why does he have to be so hot? What is it about him that's eating at you, Woman? Stop it!_ She shook her head in frustration. For some reason, the Latino inventor had some power over her. Where others' words and admonitions bounced off of her tough girl's armor, his gentle words and trust in her ripped through to her heart. She actually _regretted_ helping Leonard to betray the Flash of all things because of Cisco's anger….

…and then there were those eyes….

 _Damn!_

She signaled and veered over to the right. Her stomach admittedly was growling. Her irritating conscience distracted her to say the least. Being in Central City didn't help either for that matter. She decided to deal with one of those issues to say the least.

[Rest Area—Twenty minutes later]

Fresh off a quick zip through the drive thru of a Big Belly Burger, Lisa sat warily at a picnic table while considering her options. She didn't have many options. She really couldn't check into a hotel without sending up a red flag to CCPD. She imagined that the plastic in her wallet had similar alerts on them as well.

She bit into her cheddar BBQ burger furiously. _Why do you care? Just pull a stupid job already and get some cash! Then speed out of town before the damn Flash can stop you!_

 _Because he won't approve. That's why…._ her conscience rebutted.

 _Who the Hell cares what Cisco thinks? He's sweet and cute but he's deluded and naïve! Even Lenny's abandoned me so what the Hell, right? I have my golden gun. I can do what I have to. Screw it!_ She slapped the table angrily. _Stop it already!_ She glanced around to make sure nobody had seen her doing that.

Fortunately the only other people in the rest area seemed to be engrossed in their own conversation on the opposite end of the grassy field.

 _Cool it. You'll draw a crowd._ She sucked a draught of cherry limeade through her straw allowing the balanced cherry sweetness and lime tartness entice her taste buds. "Nice." She sampled the hot saltiness from her French fries allowing her tongue to add that section to the fast food symphony therein. For some reason she never understood, it didn't matter how much money she had from jobs or otherwise, she still preferred this stuff to so-called "fine" high-brow cuisine.

After all she was a working girl….

 _Sis, live it up, will you? Indulge in the finer things when we can afford to do so. When life presents you with an opportunity, take advantage,_ Cold's voice seemed to tell her.

Then she could almost feel Cisco's disapproval hammering at her again.

 _STOP IT ALREADY! He's just one guy! Okay? You've been with others. Hell Nick Masters had more money…emphasis on had. Tony Simons was good for a couple of great nights. Yeah he was a sleaze bag but the ride was awesome while it lasted. And Matt Reynolds…yeah baby! He took me around the world, wined and dined me thinking he was so cool for school._ She reveled in that….

…until the memory of how Reynolds hit her crashed into her bliss…leaving her to recall the bruises, a severe cut across her left shoulder to match the scar on the right one and a black eye…

And that wasn't the end of it after Leonard discovered what had happened. To say he went all "Ice Age" on Reynolds was a massive understatement. He literally dropped planning a heist he was involved with and pissed Rory off in the process. He jetted across the country tracking down the bastard in a frosty fury. When he found her unfortunate assailant, Leonard took his time making sure the bastard felt every bit of pain imaginable….

…every bit….

From what she understood, the Seattle PD still were trying to figure out how Reynolds could've had icy shafts rammed through his chest, groin and arms in the middle of July.

 _I can't be with one guy. Too much risk of commitment. Life's meant to be wild and free anyhow, right? Lenny bolted. You can too. Go and have fun!_ She smirked at herself feeling her inner wild child surging to the surface. She finished the remainder of her sandwich with an almost saucy manner. Almost playfully, she wadded the wrap into a small ball and tossed it into the nearby trash can. She dipped a French fry into the ketchup and savored it slowly. Over and over, she repeated the almost ritual sacrifice. A final splash of drink washed her throat clean. She dumped the remaining trash and returned toward her cycle.

Fun awaited…not to mention some guy to help her forget….


	3. Unpleasant Scene at Drifters

Chapter 3 [Drifter's Bar and Grill, Downtown Central City—9:45 PM]

After the sun had settled to its nightly rest, many of the citizens ventured out for their nightly entertainment. Some went to movies. Others caught a fast dinner or a movie. Still more went for a drink to wash their sorrows away wanting to forget about the day at hand.

Of course they didn't know what else would be waiting for them either….

Cisco gulped a lengthy frosty draught from his pint contentedly. He glanced around at the milling crowd. His wanderings had led him away from the familiar coffee joint toward the other side of town and its row of bars. Much as folks might have done in Europe, he engaged in an impromptu _tapas_ run snacking on a few wings at one place, pot stickers at another and, here at Drifter's, the chili was to die for.

Besides he knew a lot of the college girls hung out there.

He leaned back into the booth's cushions; his eyes surveying the throng once again. He'd already played the crowd so to speak. Attempts to charm the fairer sex and hold their interest had admittedly met with eye rolls and brush offs. He fought the urge to just surrender, finish his chili and slink off toward his apartment.

The waitress, a graceful Latina angel with a long dark mane drawn back into a ponytail and gentle eyes, stopped by his table. She offered him a warm smile. "How's the chili, Sir?"

He forced a grin onto his face. "Awesome as always. Thanks. Think I can get another beer please?"

"Of course. Glad you like the chili. Pablo put some extra kick in it tonight. You doing okay otherwise?" she queried.

"Mmm? Yeah. Just dealing with the whole solo thing." He shrugged not knowing why but finding it easier to talk with a stranger than with his friends. "I'm looking for someone. Occasionally I find someone nice and we're together for a while. Then some other guy barges in, sweeps them off of their feet and poof! They're gone." He finished his beer and raised his hands in slow consternation. "Sorry. You probably hear that way too much."

She shrugged. " _Si._ You're okay, Sir. Sounds to me like you haven't met the right woman yet. She'll come when she's supposed to. Hang in there for what it's worth. I'll go and get your beer." Taking his empty glass, she headed off toward the bar.

He considered her words. _It'd be poetic justice if someone swept me off of my feet!_ For a minute, he allowed himself to fantasize about such a woman. He daydreamt about a blonde wanting to talk with him at the bar and actually being interested in what he had to say. He allowed himself to see them at her home making out before the lights came on. And….

Oh wait….that wasn't just a fantasy….That happened with Lisa….

He rolled his eyes. _This just keeps getting better and better!_ He sucked in an exasperated breath.

The waitress looked at him with concern. "Are you all right? I can call you a cab or something?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for the beer and the friendly ear. I appreciate both," he expressed gratefully.

"My pleasure." She set the tab face down on the table. "Let me know if you need anything else. Meantime enjoy your drink." She headed back toward the bar.

 _If only all girls could be that nice. Ah well…._ He offered a toast in her direction before taking a sip.

Then a loud crash shook him and the others around himself.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" a familiar voice warned loudly.

The hairs on the back of his neck went up. He set the beer down and slid out of the booth.

By now a scuffle was breaking out.

He shook his head. _Nobody's going to hurt her._ He remembered seeing the scar and frowned. By now his sorrows were forgotten. He didn't need the rest of the beer, the chili or the small talk.

His lady needed him…..

[Fifteen Minutes Earlier]

Lisa walked into the bar feeling the previous burdens come off of her back. After leaving the rest area, she'd cruised into the downtown Ralston District seeking a social challenge. As with Cisco, she drifted in and out of several other establishments along the strip. Fiona's overly posh clientele might've suited her if she and the Rogues were looking to fleece some victims rather than just escape concerns. Raymond's for some reason made her skin crawl with its seedy paint job and the bugs scurrying along the base boards.

Drifter's, on the other hand, seemed to be more of a genuine bar experience. She approved of the aged and obviously chipped bar and slightly careworn stools. The air smelled of smoky and alcoholic overtones. In addition her nose picked up on both Italian and Mexican cuisine's delicate scents. _I definitely need to get some of that!_ As she slipped through the crowd and toward the bar, she noted the mix of college students and adults of various ages engaged in conversation around the room. From the clothes, hairstyles and jewelry on the folks therein, she knew she had happened on the right place.

She settled on a barstool in the far corner to best stay back and watch the events unfolding around herself. She smirked at some half-drunk geeky type stumbling over himself to gain the favor of a wealthy redheaded knockout. _Boy has no chance but he won't let that stop him._ She glanced across the bar and could almost see herself in that blonde wig again.

 _Pardon me but my friends won't leave me alone until I talk to you…_

 _I can't believe Cisco really fell for that. I can't believe I *really* used that line on him. Lenny, you really owe me!_ She sighed. _So am I going to get served around here anytime this century?_ Her fingers tapped out their impatience in a terse Morse code across the worn bar. She checked her watch noting that she'd already been sitting there for ten minutes without a single staff member coming over. "What the Hell?" She got up from her stool. _Fun's fun but there are other places…._

As she did so, a sloshed masculine voice slurred through pungent alcoholic fumes, "Heeey, Babe. I'm heeere for ya…."

She curled her lip while trying not to laugh. She turned to find a man mountain looming there. "Yeah right. You want someone else. I'm here by myself."

"Awww….ya think I'm hot. Let's…git it on…" He belched in a disgusting manner throwing whatever toxic stenches from his gut into her face as well.

She ground her teeth. "Okay, Chief. I'm going to say this really plainly. I'm _not interested._ Take your bad breath and go. Find some bimbo's who's into what you are!" She wormed her way past him in an attempt to get to the door.

His enormous paw clamped around her arm and yanked hard, flinging her back against the bar. "Said not goin' ANYWHERE!"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she snapped loudly. _Okay. Fun's fun but this is crap! Like I should've *ever* listened to some crackpot on the corner? Yeah right! Get out of here then you can beat yourself up!_ She tensed and raised her knee fast and hard into the assailant's groin as Cold had shown her to do.

He caved from the assault dropping to the floor. "DAMN! Stupid witch!"

"Keep your paws to yourself," she hissed at him before stomping toward the door. If she wasn't a fugitive, she would've put in a call to Joe West. The irony of that situation made her snort to herself in spite of the mess ruining her evening. _Yeah like he'd care? He'd send you to rot in Iron Heights! Why'd I leave the golden gun with the bike? Great going, Lisa, for acting like one of these idiots!_

Two more muscular guys—one a redheaded man of Irish descent and an African-American—stepped up next blocking her way out.

"Why'd you have to do that, Honey?" the latter guy slurred. "Richie only wanted some."

"I don't like him or _you_. Get out of my way," she advised pointedly with an icy glare. When they didn't move after three heartbeats, she shrugged. "Your funeral." She swung a punch with a hard and rapid fist breaking the black man's nose.

Before she could react, Irish broke a bottle over her head. "No, Sweets, it's yours!"

She slumped against the bar. The back of her head bleeding profusely from the impact. Her senses reeled. She slid toward unconsciousness.

"Now we got her and…." Irish sniggered. Then he saw Cisco tapping him on the arm. "Back 'way, Mex. She's w' us."

"Lady's bleeding. She's not with you. She's a friend of mine. Back away," Cisco told the two guys. He put his hand in his pocket to where his cell phone was. He knew Barry would really be ticked at him for ruining the double date. Still an emergency was an emergency. He glanced toward the bar and around at the milling crowd.

"She's by herself the Lass said," Irish disagreed. "Boy like yourself should learn manners."

Cisco chuckled sarcastically as he tensed for trouble. _I just want to get away and this is what happens? Bag it. Lisa needs to get out of here!_ He wondered what she'd said to start the brewing fracas around them.

Seeing the enormous white elephant angrily pulling himself back up to his feet, his eyes went wide. "Shit."

"She's…mine," the drunken man hissed in his pungent clouded tones.

"Doesn't look that way to me," Cisco insisted.

At that moment, the bartender banged a large club against the counter. "All right, you all! Cops are coming. Break it up already!"

"Great," Cisco muttered. He hoisted Lisa back toward a nearby booth. "Anyone have a towel or something? I need to get some pressure on this wound."

"Here," the kindly waitress noted anxiously while handing him a damp terry-cloth white towel and a glass of lemon water. "Is she okay?"

Cisco shrugged. "I can't tell until we get her to a hospital or my lab. Thank you." He wiped down the back of Lisa's head as best he could through the clotted mess of her hair. He glanced down at her and shook his head. "Hell of a way for us to meet up again. You really know how to make an impression on people. You know that?"

He settled into the booth and sipped on the glass in front of himself. While he griped about being alone, now he and the unconscious woman waited for their inevitable run in with the boys in blue. What a wreck this night turned out to be…..


	4. Enter Joe

Chapter 4 [10:30 PM]

Joe drove tersely down Driscoll St. while heading for the bar in question. He really didn't understand why or really _how_ the bar fight in question had happened. He just knew that a terse call from the Precinct had shattered a really well-deserved slumber on his part….

…and like that bear disturbed in mid-hibernation, this Papa Bear was ticked…

 _Why are they calling me on this one? What the Hell?_ He turned abruptly into the lot. He clearly saw the familiar crimson, navy and white flashing strobes illuminating the entire blacktop and cars on them in intermittent hues. _Someone's really going to get a piece of my mind!_ He parked and stormed out of his station wagon before marching across the lot toward the door where two patrolmen watched things. "Evening, Guys. What's going on in there?"

The officer on the left offered him a blank look. "Hey, West. Apparently some guy assaulted this biker chick. Your buddy, Ramon, played white knight or something."

"He might want to stick to playing with his toys next time. Kid's no hero," the other cop insinuated.

 _Cisco, what the Hell? Couldn't he call Barr or Eddie?_ "I'll see for myself. Thanks." He shook off the crass views of the other officer before pushing into the bar.

Around him, officers and fellow detectives were taking statements from the other customers and staff. Taped off at the bar's far corner, he observed the bloody shard remnants of a broken beer bottle.

 _Ouch! Someone's feeling that._ Joe flashed his badge to a couple of patrolmen. "Where's the perp?"

"Three guys who assaulted the woman are already headed downtown, Joe. Your buddy found a really great one," a lieutenant retorted with a slight shake of his head. "They're over there. Sorry. He requested you come." He motioned toward the booth about three feet to his left.

"Yeah. I appreciate it, Sam," Joe expressed. "Did Cisco do anything?"

"According to witnesses, he stepped between the girl and those three brutes. He was about to get his ass kicked too. The owner had already called us and intervened himself," Sam reported. "A waitress, Fiona Ramirez, told us that she handed Mr. Ramon a towel to help the woman in question. He's clear, Joe. She, on the other hand…."

"Let me see for myself," Joe insisted. "Thanks." He walked over to where Cisco sat absently sipping on a mug of coffee with one hand. In the other, the latter man held the now crimson stained towel to blot the person's head who was slumped next to him. _She's still here and not at a hospital? Why the Hell not?_ "Cisco, you okay?"

Cisco stared into space still dealing with the whole experience and his concern over Lisa's health. He didn't hear Joe. He only knew his indignation over the police not calling an ambulance to deal with her situation.

"Cisco! Hey!" Joe shook Cisco's shoulder urgently stirring him from his reverie.

"What? I….Oh. Hey, Joe. Sorry I had to get you up. I can't believe this!" Cisco apologized feeling sheepish. He blinked incredulously. "They haul those asshats off to the precinct. Yet they let Lisa sit here and bleed?"

"Lisa?" Joe finally recognized her. " _Lisa Snart?_ What's she doing here?"

"Hell if I know. And no, I didn't come here with her. I was sitting in the booth over there eating my chili and drinking my beer. I heard her yell to be left alone. Then I just knew I had to help her. By the time, I got over there, one of those guys had broken a bottle over her head. I stepped between them preparing to help her. Fortunately the bartender stopped the fight," Cisco recounted.

"Fortunately for you. You were about to get your ass kicked," Joe noted seriously.

"Yeah well. I wasn't about to let her get raped either, Joe. Sorry if I tried to do the right thing," Cisco countered.

"Tell me about it." Joe shook his head. He knew that she should be on her way to the precinct lock up for her previous record. Still he knew she wasn't her brother either. "Let's get her back to STAR Labs. Then we'll figure out where to go next. We can call Barr, Patty and Eddie on the way."

"Great." Cisco sulked over ruining his friends' time out together. Still, despite his concerns over her activities and such, Lisa was still Lisa. As such, he'd see her taken care of in the best manner possible. He sighed while taking her shoulders and Joe took her feet. He helped carry her out of the bar.

Seemed the evening was just getting started…..


	5. Affirmation at STAR Labs

Chapter 5 [STAR Labs—sometime later]

[A/N: Gimli and _The Lord of the Rings_ belong to their copyright holders…]

Lisa lay unfeeling and unresponsive for some time. Her eyes remained closed. Despite being out from the assault, she'd thrash and twist on the bed as if something else was attacking her.

She heard her own screaming as a child….

…Over and over the bottle hit her again….this time though it broke against her head….

 _Lisa? Hey. It's okay…._ A gentle voice broke through the darkness.

And then a bright light swamped her senses and jarred her loose…..

Even as the patient dealt with her nightmares, Cisco sat at his post right by her side. He sighed deeply while gulping at a lukewarm coffee cup. Occasionally he'd shoot a glance toward the monitor at his right. For the most part, however, his eyes remained riveted on her.

Much to his relief, the anger was gone. His bitterness over the betrayals of Dante, Barry and even himself had dissipated in Concern's overwhelming presence.

"Hey. I'm here. Joe and I got you out of that bar. You're here at STAR Labs," he noted. He grasped her hand softly yet firmly. "I know you like to wander. For now though, _Chica_ , you aren't going anywhere. Just…stay." He bowed his head. His heart sank at the bandages on the back of her head.

"Pulse rate's steady," Caitlin reported from the console. She glanced toward where the impromptu CCPD contingent along with Iris watched at a slight distance.

"I'd feel better if she were at Riverview," Eddie noted.

"This lab's pulled its share of rabbits out of hats. Just don't ask me to explain how they do it," Joe disagreed.

"Just as long as they can. I don't feel like watching her like this," Patty chimed in.

"Have faith. We can do a lot. Besides I can get help in the blink of an eye. Besides you want to deal with her brother if something happens?" Barry assured them all. He hugged his girlfriend's shoulders supportively. "It's going to be okay."

"When you say it like that, I believe it," Patty relented with a smile and a twinkle of her eyes for him.

"I believe that Snart's going to be a bitch to deal with if she doesn't pull through," Joe interjected.

Meantime Lisa's eyelids fluttered. Her mouth twisted in agony. "AHHH!"

Cisco jumped out of fear. "I'm here! Lisa, it's okay."

Lisa forced her eyes open with great effort. She squinted from the lab's lights overhead. For a brief second, she thought she was in some sort of prison lab. Then upon seeing him there, she relaxed. "Cisco? Is that really you?"

"Hell yeah it is. Like I was going to leave you in that bar? _Please_ ," he affirmed while trying to put on his best cocky tone in the process. "You do attract the worst company."

"Yeah I know." She grimaced while feeling the burning from her scalp. "Sorry but what happened. It's kind of a giant blur."

"A drunk giant and his friends wanted a party with you. You said no. They attacked you. One of them hit you over the head with a glass beer bottle. I stepped in." Cisco rolled his eyes. "Fortunately the bartender stopped the fight."

"Considering you were about to get your ass kicked. It was fortunate for you," Joe chimed in.

"Hey! I'm trying to be the hero here. Mind?" Cisco teased while trying to keep face.

Lisa coughed. "You are…." She managed a brief squeeze of his hands in hers. "Even if you are an…idiot." She smirked impetuously. "But…you're my idiot."

"Great. I can't get any respect," Cisco lamented while rolling his eyes.

"Lighten up. You…did great." She tugged his hand to her parched lips and whispered a thank you there. Then she struggled to take in the others. "Guess this is one time I should feel glad the police is here. Great."

"Considering we pulled your tail out of there, yeah you should be," Joe noted. "And yes, we _could_ bust you back to Iron Heights." He glanced at Eddie, Patty and Barry who'd already had engaged in an animated debate over doing just that or not.

"Just get back on your feet. Then we need to talk," Patty insisted. "I need a coffee, Barry."

"Uh okay." Barry offered Cisco a slight nod. "As she said, we'll be talking. Rest up, Lisa."

"I'll do that." Lisa coughed as the CSI followed his girlfriend out. "That boy needs to stand up to her a bit more."

"Actually they're trying to mend fences right now. Just because we're not sure what to do with you doesn't mean we don't care," Iris pointed out. Getting a nod from Eddie and her father both, she continued, "As we're being patient with you, you might want to have some of that for us too. Cisco, we'll leave you both alone. I think you two need some 'you-time'?"

"Yeah. That'd be awesome. Thanks, Iris," Cisco expressed with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Eddie."

"Don't mention it. I know what it's like to fight for someone." Eddie offered him a supportive smile while giving his _fiancée_ 's hand an affirmative squeeze. He let his eyes settle on the engagement ring's renewed presence there. "Let's get her on her feet. Then as Iris said, we'll talk. See you guys later." With that he led Iris out.

"Wow. Tough crowd," Lisa presumed. She sighed. "Water please."

"Yeah. Coming right up," Cisco agreed. He poured her a glass of ice water and held it up to her lips. "Slow sips. Okay?"

She rolled her eyes at his babying even if she secretly enjoyed it. Just as when he extracted her father's bomb, she trusted him to know what was good for her…even if she didn't exactly agree with it at the moment. She accepted the cold offering allowing the water to soothe her parched mouth and throat. "Maybe I can have…aspirin? Headache's hell."

 _More like your brother when he hears about this._ "Demanding, aren't you?" he cracked.

"You don't know the half of it, Ramon," she fired right back not missing a beat.

Caitlin chuckled while handing her the pills in question. "Here you go. Feel like you want to try eating something or want to wait?"

Lisa snorted. "Better ask…the nurse here."

Cisco sighed. "Yeah well…pardon me for being scared. Okay? Besides you want to deal with Cold when he gets back?"

Lisa frowned recalling her earlier feelings from the previous afternoon.

 _Now what did I say?_ "Hey. Sorry. I didn't mean…." Cisco apologized getting the gist that he'd upset her somehow.

"It's okay. You didn't know." Lisa sighed. "Lenny and Rory went off with some fool crusade. They think the captain can go through time or something. Stupid huh?"

Caitlin shrugged. "Actually we can relate. A couple of our friends are involved in that quest. Besides…we do things like that here too."

" _Seriously?_ This is just too weird. Anyway Lenny took off and just left me to fend for myself. We'd argued about it. I thought he'd seen the light when I went to bed. When I woke up, he left me this note and a six pack. Fool's going to get himself and Rory killed!" Lisa pressed on. She stared into the ceiling tiles with consternation.

"He has Firestorm with him. Besides I wouldn't bet against Captain Cold, right?" Cisco assumed. He exchanged knowing looks with Caitlin. "Can't believe I just said that."

"Nice suck up, Cisco. Can't say…you don't learn fast," Lisa teased him. "At least you found me, right?"

"We found each other, _Chica_. Don't forget that. All I did was sulk and eat chili. I heard you having way too much fun and decided to jump in," he noted.

"Yeah and get your head bashed in as Joe said," Caitlin reminded him tersely.

" _Mi caballero corta_ ," the patient giggled.

"¿ _Perdona mi?_ Who's short?" he retorted incredulously.

"You are," Lisa declared with warm in her eyes.

"Yeah well it's like that gnome guy in the _Lord of the Rings._ He's short and carries a big ax. Racks up quite the orc count too," he insisted.

"Gimli had more fighting skills," Caitlin rebutted not letting her friend off of the hook.

"Hey! I'm trying to have a moment here. You know?"

"We girls need to stick together," Lisa informed him with a bit of snark in her voice. She shot him a grin. "You tire me out. I'm going to close my eyes for a sec. Mind sitting with me though?"

"Nope." He grinned at her. "I'm staying right here."

"Good…It'd be hell to train you. Thanks, Cisco. Seriously thanks," Lisa expressed before closing her eyes and dozing off.

He squeezed her hand. "You're seriously welcome, _Chica._ " He kissed her forehead before settling back to his post.

"It's going to be okay, Cisco. She just needs rest. After that, we'll see what the others think," Caitlin assured him.

"Yeah. That's what I'm worried about," he concurred. He exhaled deeply. It would figure that the Ramon luck would shove Lisa back into a long term jail stay at that point. _Why did those jackasses have to be there?_ He shook his head and just recalled two things: stay with the person you love and worry about the other stuff later.

"I'm here," he told her again. And with that, he settled into his observation mode.

He would stay the course no matter what. And you could take that to the bank….


	6. Verdict at Jitters

Chapter 6 [Next Afternoon—Jitters]

Having spent way too much time in bed for her taste, Lisa nagged Cisco into taking her for a coffee. She felt cooped up at the lab. Then there was the small matter of the resident cops deciding whether to haul her off to the lock up. She felt tense and ill at ease. _Now I know what a damn turkey feels like at Thanksgiving! Maybe I should just get a bus out of town or something!_

"Okay. Here we go. Mochacino with extra foam and crème for you. Cappuccino with extra foam for me," he noted while setting the two cups on the table between them. He noticed how skittish she seemed. "You're thinking of running, aren't you?"

She arched a sarcastic eyebrow. "Wouldn't you? They're ready to throw the book at me. No offense, Cisco. Thawne, Spivot and West don't really like me very much." She sampled the drink and nodded in approval. "You do have good taste in these things I have to admit."

"Surprise, surprise, right?" he supposed shooting her an enthusiastic grin and sparkling of the eyes. "Name someone who doesn't adore chocolate. I figure you've got great taste too."

"And you know that already, do you?" she retorted saucily adding a gulp of her drink for emphasis.

"Hey you're here with me, right?" he quipped. "Seriously, Lisa. It's going to be okay. Joe's going to go to bat for you."

"You really think so?" she hoped.

"As long as you're serious about going straight, why not? There's the argument that your brother and Rory pulled you along for the ride. Let's hope you get community service and maybe probation?" he theorized. He rubbed her hands gently. "I just want you here with me, _Chica._ "

"And there's the pet name," she cracked. "I'm going to have to come up with my name for you." She let her eyes twinkle into his. "I want that too. I just don't want to see you through prison bars."

"Have faith." He leaned over the table and gently pressed his lips across hers. "If it happens, I'll be there so often you'll think I was sentenced there."

"I wonder if the Flash would allow that?" she noted wryly. "And there's Lenny. I suspect he'd find you if I ended up in Iron Heights."

"Yeah." He grimaced imagining Cold encasing him in ice for allowing his sister to be incarcerated adding a fearful gulp of his hot drink almost as a talisman against the implied threat.

As _Memoria_ reminded him, Cold did ask, _What are your intentions toward my sister, Cisco?_

"I'd put in a good word for you too, _Caballero._ Can't have certain things _damaged_ , can we?" she supposed with a playful smirk. "Besides there is the fact you were ready to get your ass kicked on my behalf."

"I was trying to save you," he pointed out.

"Mmm…yeah _trying_ being the operative word," she teased.

"Hey!" he protested.

"Relax. I know you're my hero. The Flash is great and all. But I know who's in charge of all of the cool stuff," she assured him affectionately before planting a kiss on his lips." If things were to work out, I still need to _reward_ my hero, don't I?" She grinned at him.

"Yeah. Hope that you get off," he noted knowing how much he wanted that particular celebration.

She rolled her eyes at him. She didn't get how he made her feel so light and yet twisted her internal compass up in knots at the same time. She actually _wanted_ to be good for the first time. She actually cared. _What the Hell is he doing to me?_ Then she noted Joe and the other couples ordering at the counter.

"Looks like it's show time." He rubbed her hand again as the others approached. "Good thoughts, right?"

"Right." _At least they're not uniforms and they're ordering coffee. That's got to be a good sign, right?_ Now it was her turn to gulp on her drink anxiously. Now she wished her bike was parked right outside.

"Hey, Guys," Barry greeted warmly. "Mind if we join you?"

Seeing Lisa's anxiety, Joe slid a chair over to where the couple was sitting. "Let's all sit first. Okay?" He waited for the others to sit. "Who wants to start?"

"Dad. Please," Iris chided.

Patty took a deep breath while setting a straw in her iced coffee and taking a deep sip through it. Then she started, "Lisa, I'll admit I'm not crazy about what I've heard about you. Still Barry believes in you. I've learned that he's an extremely good judge of character."

"That's my take too, I'll admit. Iris is with Barry on that," Eddie noted. "Still we just talked to Captain Singh and the court on your behalf."

"We got the Flash down there to speak for you too," Caitlin indicated.

"He _really_ did? Seriously?" Lisa queried in disbelief. She recalled how she'd helped Cold to set up the double cross at the airport along with the kidnapping.

"Yeah he did," Barry continued. "Think you can go straight? Between his and our backing not to mention the absence of evidence, they're willing to give you a fresh start."

"A fresh start?" Lisa inquired incredulously.

"Let's consider it an extremely loose probation. All right?" Joe pointed out noncommittally. "Let's figure out where your skills are and find you a job accordingly. You're getting a hell of an opportunity, Lady. Don't mess it up."

Although she didn't exactly trust the group, she understood Joe's point. "Maybe Cisco might help me with the job hunt?"

"Now _that_ is what I'm talking about!" Cisco concurred. He raised his cup and toasted, "To Lisa and her second chance."

"Yes!" Barry agreed as the others did the same.

"To that chance," Lisa concurred as they touched cups and drank on it. She wondered how she'd make out with a straight job. Worse how would her brother and Rory take that? _It's either this or going to jail at some point. You aren't going to get a better deal._ She saw Cisco grinning at her. _He's willing to help you too._ She managed a smile for them.

"I think we can all get behind that," Joe relented feeling relieved he didn't have to make a scene by hauling her tail out of there.

"Besides there is the dinner that Barry brought up," Patty suggested. "Mind being part of a quadruple date?"

"We're all going to Carmine's for dinner. Maybe you both want to join us?" Iris invited.

"The more the merrier, right?" Barry chimed in.

"It's up to Lisa, Guys. I'm…" Cisco started to reply.

"I've got enough to cover Cisco and me. Count us in," Lisa agreed. "And if you all want a hand out on the streets, I'd be willing to do that too."

"One step at a time," Caitlin declared while getting nods from the others. "Let's focus on getting things started. Okay?"

"Okay," Lisa agreed before shooting Cisco a smirk. She no longer felt alone. Perhaps she'd need to learn to trust these people. Still as Patty had said about Barry's trust toward Lisa, these folks were Cisco's friends. Cisco, Caitlin and the Flash had helped her in the past. They were good people. It was definitely worth a shot.

She braced herself for the first step on this "straight ride".


	7. Catching the Artist at Work

Conclusion

[Next Morning—Cisco's Apartment]

The sun streamed warmly through the closed blinds on that morning. A residual coolness lingered in the air making for pleasant sleeping conditions in the third floor flat….

…that and the company therein….

Cisco opened his eyes contentedly. He felt warm and elated for the first time since Kendra had left with Carter Hall. A pleasant tingling sensation coursed through him. He glanced over to his right.

There Lisa snoozed contentedly; a relaxed smile plastered prominently across her face. Her breathing remained low and calm.

 _Glad you enjoyed that as much as I did._ He kissed her forehead softly before slipping out of bed. Given that she had decided to make the effort to go straight, he'd decided to give her an opening boost at the very least. He padded slowly out toward the kitchen.

Barry and Eddie's surprise for their girlfriends a few days earlier had inspired this plan on his part.

 _I'm not the cook Barry is but I can do something too!_ He mixed corn meal and pancake mix together with a couple of eggs and some cream in a bowl. Then he beat the batter into a fine mix with a wooden spoon before adding strawberries and blueberries to it. Finally he started the cakes in question cooking in a skillet on the stove.

To these efforts, he added some sausage from the fridge on a plate with a paper towel between the layers letting it nuke away in the microwave. He also started coffee perking allowing the scent to waft back toward his sleeping companion. Then he flipped the cakes in question seeing the delicate browning across the corn tops. "Sw- _eet_!" He removed the sausages before the microwave could beep.

The finished corncakes slid onto another plate. Then he poured another batch letting them sizzle and bubble away on the skillet.

He grinned while anticipating her surprise….

[Ten Minutes Later]

Lisa muttered incoherently and stirred from her own slumber. As he'd deduced, she'd slept contentedly in his arms after she'd administered 'his reward'. She sighed and grinned. _Boy needs more fun like this. But where the Hell did he go?_ She patted the mattress where he'd been until fifteen minutes earlier.

For a minute, her internal abandonment issues flared up. She looked around frantically like a panicked wolf caught in a trap not knowing what to do. _He left me? After this…why? I…._

Almost on cue, the aromas from the cooking creations reached her nose.

"What the Hell? Is he cooking?" She pulled herself together and sucked in several calming breaths to compose her internal compass once more. "See? He's still here. He's doing something for you. Take a chill pill, Snart. It's _okay_." She got up and pulled her clothes from the previous day back on. Then she softly crept down the hall following the pleasant scents of corn, coffee and sausage.

Admittedly her mouth watered in anticipation.

She peered around the corner to find him cooking away on two enormous corn pancakes. Beside him four others waited on a plate. The sausage scent, she figured, came from the covered plate to its right. And the coffee perked away on the counter. _Unreal. He really wants this to work!_ In spite of herself, she had to wipe away a couple of happy tears.

Cisco actually _cared_. Unlike the other guys, she wasn't just a conquest to him.

Not knowing she was standing there, he opened a drawer and pulled out a white tablecloth. "Yeah she's really going to be surprised."

 _You're the one who's going to surprised, Dude!_ Somehow she stifled a snarky laugh or the reply she normally would've given. She wanted to give him his moment. Instead she contented herself with the scene developing right before her eyes.

As she watched, he set the table while anticipating her reaction when he thought she'd walk into the room. In each place, he set a coffee mug, a juice glass and a blue plate. He'd rolled up silverware settings in a napkin placing each by the place in question. Then he set a laptop by the table ready to stream some ambiance music into the setting. He removed the last two cakes and set the plate in the middle of the table along with the sausage. "There. I did it."

"Yeah you did, _Caballero_ ," she interjected with a bit of satisfaction.

He froze and turned to face her. "You were there the whole time?"

She shrugged saucily. "I learned from Lenny that you _never_ interrupt an artist at work. I've been here for about five minutes watching you set this up for us." She almost pranced over to him letting her eyes sparkle affectionately. "Good morning." Her lips whispered a thank you across his cheek. "Mind if I get some coffee, Picasso? I need one."

"Sure," he agreed while opening the fridge. He brought out the milk and juice. "Those are for us too."

"I knew there was a reason I like you so much," she teased while fixing her coffee. "Before we eat, there's something else." She yanked him to her and planted a long lingering kiss on his lips before disengaging. "How's _that_?"

"Uh..yeah…great. Wow," he replied while needing to collect himself. He stumbled over to the coffee maker and somehow fixed his own cup.

"Really smooth moves," she pressed with that infuriating grin of hers.

Still he didn't care. If she enjoyed it, he wouldn't fret the style points…or lack thereof. "I get the job done." He smirked as they sat down to enjoy the meal. "Afterwards we can start looking for your new job."

She rolled her eyes. "I promise we'll do that. But…maybe…we can enjoy this a bit more?"

"I said _afterwards_. I didn't say how _long afterwards_ ," he assured her. "Maybe this could turn to lunch too?"

She bit into the food in question and nodded. "Yeah we can do that." She savored the tastes cascading across her tongue.

Maybe she would go straight but at least she had someone to do it with.

And that would make everything worthwhile…..

THE END (for now)


End file.
